One eyed horse parents

[Peggs]

Due to recurrent uveitis and ulcers in his eye my wonderful boy has had to undergo enucleation. He seems to be pretty happy and taken it all in his stride, luckily he's a pretty stoic individual, I think I've been more upset!!

I'd love to hear everyone's stories and whether you're still competing etc.

Also if anyone has any tips they've discovered to help aid his rehab I'm all ears! Anything is gratefully received as I want it to be as lease traumatic as possibly for the big guy.

 

[LHIS]

I have nothing informative to add - except this has reminded me about the blind horse that jumps. He's amazing and the videos of him competing are brilliant. I'll try and find a video of him..

http://youtu.be/LuLH9miix64

OP if you watch the video - it's an Andulusian called Endo, he's completely blind (I think both eyes have actually been removed). Anyway, he's proof they're just as capable, and competing isn't out of the question. Good luck with yours x

 

[Tobiano]

hi - bless you and your horse Peggs x

I don't have personal experience but a friend of my sister's has had the same op on her horse and it really gave him a new lease of life. She has started competing at Elementary dressage. Sorry i don't have any specific advice on convalescence etc but hopefully it is cheering to know others have done really well following this. Good luck x

 

[Catherine94]

I have no experience with horses who have lost an eye, so I can't offer any advice, but the show jumper Adventure de Kannan won the hickstead derby after having an eye removed, so it certainly doesn't seem to stop them doing what they love Good luck with him

 

[varkie]

I owned a pony who lost and eye a few years ago - he lost it as a youngster, and was never fussed from the day it was removed. I did all his basic handling, including walking him out in traffic (his lost eye was on the traffic side), with no problems. He went to a new home, to live with a pony I'd previously sold, and his new owners have since broken him to drive! He's done very well - and his eye hasn't caused him any real issues I don't think.

 

[Bav]

Not me, but a friend has a horse that had to have an eye removed after an accident involving a branch. He is a fantastic horse, although you have to let him know by voice or with your hand when approaching that side as when he's dozing, relaxed or not paying attention he can can be flinchy.
Competing wise he jumps fantastically, but isn't for the faint hearted as he now seems to over compensate by jumping even 2ft as though it's a puissance wall!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I haven't had who lost an eye but did lose her vision due to /moon blindness and cataract, there was little known in the 80's and she lost 80% at the end, one eye total the other l0st 80%. My second mare got uveitis out the blue but once her laminitis took hold it vanished one day after 9 months of having it.

I still have her guardian mask.

 

[Red-1]

I have known 3 horses with an eye removed. One was competing at Trec, one an eventer and one a retired pony. All were absolutely fine. All had slight changes in the way they were handled, but it was minimal, and mainly concerned handling on the ground.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My mares half brother has had an eye removed Ahrena on here, think that is the spelling, events him quite high too

 

[RoyalSapphire]

if they r blind in one side do they walk to one side? sorry just my horse isnt blind but i think she has v bad vision but was told this couldnt be true as shed walk to one side, type thing to compensate?

 

[nicelittle]

We have an elderly Shetland with one eye. She lost the other fairly recently. It does not seem to affect her much. She still does in hand jumping, but I'd echo what others have said about speaking to warn them if you are on their blind side, she occasionally walks into things and can jump out of her skin if touched unexpectedly. A very happy pony though.

 

[ashlingm]

I've a horse with an eye injury (collapsed eyeball) and he has zero vision in it. He is due to have it removed as although some vets say it's causing him no problems, I feel its more of a hindrance. I am constantly on the lookout for infections and I worry about flies in summer. I'd actually love to chat to you more about the eye removal procedure and after care!

Riding wise he's very good. He will hold his head slightly to the right (it's his right eye that's missing) at times...but not all the time. I've done cross country schooling, dressage, showing and even side saddle with him. He absolutely loves going out to fields and the beach for a gallop but isn't keen on horses cantering up behind him on his blind side and shoots out sideways if he thinks there's any approaching. I've fallen off a few times because of this so I'm very aware of it now. He hacks out out the roads no problem. He's not great at showjumping...but honestly I think that's just him and not the eye as hes much better doing cross country.

He lives out full time in summer with my 3 other horses and is fine. I had one horse previously that I'm almost certain only ever bit him on his blind side...so he tended to graze with that horse within view of his good eye. He doesn't like being led out with horses on his blind side either...he doesn't react but you can tell he's just a bit off.

 

[Ahrena]

This is my favourite topic!

My gelding only has one eye. He lost it because the idiot stuck his head in a thorn bush and it went through his cornea - prior to me owning him.

He is the most wonderful, genuine horse I know. It doesn't affect him in any way. I don't treat him differently at all or ride him differently.

I've evented him at novice, jumped 1.30m courses at home, 1.60cm single fences. He's won SJ champs, Derby champs, you name it he does it.

It honestly doesn't affect him or his way of going at all. It's only a little disconcerting because when he gets excited he tends to prance/plunge sideways blind side first which can be a little worrying when going into a fence out hunting lol!

I also ride an lead with horses on his blind side and it doesn't bother him at all, but he's very friendly and doesn't really do personal space haha

 

[Peggs]

It's lovely to hear all the positive stories! I'm really hopeful now that we can return to almost normal

He's seems to be very happy, I took him for a wander up the drive today and he got a little excited as he's been on box rest nearly a month now with an abscess prior to the op and now post op box rest and I nearly went flying as he swung his head around lol I'm constantly chatting away to him now so he knows where I am, I sound like a loon but it's doing my conversation skills the world of good, it's pretty one sided conversation we have.